Drinking Buddies
Of course, naturally, it would be him that had to go home alone. For a majority of the night, Elias had been spending his time enjoying what was a general consensus of perhaps too much alcohol in some dingy alleyway bar. He was as elegant as barflies could have been, considering; but even though he was alone, that didn't mean there wasn't a party. In fact, the current location was as rowdy as these things come in. God, someone could get smacked right upside the head with a chair if they didn't watch their back close enough! Eventually, though and as all these things do, the ruckus began to die down, and the man embarked on his journey through the streets of Bethnal Green to half-stagger home, to the Society. Slummy streets were slowly beginning to become more dignified buildings as he walked, but Elias had too little of his wits to take notice. Tairais: Richard had, at some point woken up, stumbled and shambled to the kitchen, cooked a meal, eaten the meal, nearly vomited from his stomach's disuse, then bathed and gotten dressed. It was at some point because while he still felt full, the events had blended together like so many paints into a vague, murky, brown gap in his memory. He still couldn't quite remember when he had gotten his arms back on in that whole situation, but they were there, and so was the feeling of hollowed bones and burrowing insects that came with their reattaching. The light breezes of the twilight hours snatched at his clothing, and he noted that while he wore his usual pinstriped attire and waistcoat, his apron was replaced by Jack's gray overcoat, warm, heavy, and billowing as if it were made of smoke. He realized- after a terrifying moment where reality was suspended in the air- he was on the roof of the Society, looking down on the streets below. Odd. He recalled a grounding exercise H-.. his mentor of sorts had taught him, and let his voice be caught up in the wind. "It is some time in the early hours of the morning. I am on the roof, and my name is Ričardas." Though the words calmed the swirling, nebulous nature of his thoughts, it did little to sooth the restless buzzing under his skin. Indulging in a bit of recklessness, he jumped and clambered his way down the side of the building, probably scaring a few Lodgers in the process. Landing with hardly a sound and feeling a rare moment of pride at the craftsmanship of his false leg, Richard pivoted on his heels as he rose from a crouch, letting Fate carry him where She would. He would later surmise that Fate had a very odd sense of humor. As he meandered down the streets of Bethnal Green, the slippery nature of his thoughts honed themselves like a knife when he caught a glance of someone familiar. In his current state, he couldn't find the energy to feel the myriad of emotions he should have experienced when he realized it was Elias. The thought prickled under his skin, and he smirked to himself. The fact he was in his usual state of detachment boded well for the categorization of his mind, and he was grateful. Not grateful enough to resist the temptation to sneak up behind Elias and tap him on the shoulder, as silent as a big cat, blending in with the smoke and fog of London in his blacks and grays. "F-fancy s-seeing you here, E-elias." He almost forgot to let his smile creep into his eyes, having forgotten he was wearing his scarf. In another corner of his mind, he mulled over the thought that Elias had probably seen him without his scarf just as much as he had with it. Some small part of him shied away from the thought and what it might entail that he didn't feel discomfort over it, but the rest of him was unperturbed. Elias was.. a good friend, at the very least. His eyes sparkled with mirth instead, not betraying the miasma of emotions shifting underneath. Decipherer: Elias stiffens at the unexpected someone, and he darts away from Richard with a speed that his body, in the state it was, unfortunately didn't agree to keep up with: he starts face him with a scowl, but it quickly morphs into shock as he begins to lose his balance, stumbling -- soon falling -- forward. Tairais: Instinct took over before logical thought had time to even begin, and he found himself shifting forward and hooking his arms under Elias' before he could fall. His heart stuttered in his chest in for the briefest of moments as Elias came to rest on it before he wrestled control of it again. He was grateful his scarf hid the lower half of his face, though, as his blush was much harder to negate. Regardless, his expression of mirth turned softer with concern, though amusement still danced in his eyes. "A-are y-you well, Elias?" Decipherer: Elias quickly scrambles to straighten himself out, laughing as he rubs his neck. His heart thumped rapidly in his chest, though it was likely that if he were aware of it he'd simply attribute it to too many drinks. He clears his throat, and his voice comes out slurred on top of stumbled words, "I'm fine. I jus' -- I'm fine, Richard." Tairais: Richards eyes, already bright with amusement, glowed with the dawn of understanding. He tilted his head, a smile twitching onto his lips. "Y-you a-are terribly d-drunk, a-are you n-not?" He could now smell the faintest trace of alcohol in the air, and it burned his nose slightly. Elias was, he mused, quite charming like this. Looser in a way he hadn't had the pleasure of seeing before, and entertaining to watch and hear. Richard chuckled as he realized that, given the state of his motor functions, Elias would likely have a rather bad hangover in the morning, though his assumptions were mainly based off the early escapades of Jack. The thought made him pause. "Do y-you r-require h-help returning t-to y-your lodgings?" Decipherer: Elias looks up at that, and begins to laugh. Naturally, of any Lodger to see him in this state, it would be Richard. It was always Richard. After a period of unrestrained giggles, he pauses to examine the street in its transition from the poor to the refined. He then realized he didn't know where to go from here. "... Yeaaah, that might be best! I d-- I don' quite remember where to go that much." Tairais: Richard chuckled again, nodding through the peculiar feeling in his chest. "W-will you b-be able to walk on your own, o-or d-do you need to l-lean on me?" The peculiar feeling in his chest warmed at that thought, and he did his best to chase it away for the time being, allowing his body language to relax and become the pinnacle of calm amusement. Absentmindedly, he watched the play of shadows over both of them, and his hands itched with the urge to draw. Later, then, when Elias was safe. And that was a curious thought on its own. Decipherer: Elias snorts, rolling his eyes rather slowly as he begins to walk alongside Richard. He had to retain some kind of pride, didn't he? Even through slightly wobbling steps, it didn't appear that he would fall over like he had moments before. He grins lopsidedly, "I'm gonna really regret this t'morrow." Tairais: Richard's smiled wryly in response to Elias, though he remained on the balls of his feet, ready to act or react if need be. "I-indubitably. Y-you are w-worse t-than J-jack on C-christmas, t-though that m-may have been due t-to his.. admirable t-tolerance to alcohol." He began leading the way back to the society, doing his best not to scratch at his arms and the buzzing feeling underneath. He'd need to wander the rooftops properly, get into a fight, or go for a run later. Decipherer: He scoffs at this and crosses his arms, flashing a cocky grin. "Aw, you sho-- should give me more credit. I think I'm keepin' my balance pretty well for a man who had..." His voice trails as he tries to recall how much he had drank, but this fails him, and he amounts to a giggle and a, "... too much." He adds with a smirk, "Unless, that is, you want me to fall into your arms." Tairais: Richard chuckled through the blush hidden under his scarf. He kept walking forward, though his eyes darted to glance at Elias from the side. "I w-would n-not mind, t-though I imagine y-you w-would prefer not t-to have me d-drag you t-through the streets of London. Decipherer: Elias mumbles under his breath as he continues to walk semi-steadily, "Don't put it past me." Tairais: Richard chuckled again at Elias' mumbling. "I w-would not d-dare." Minutes passed like water in a stream as they wove their way towards the Society. Once he reached the front stairs, Richard strode up then two at a time before turning to face towards Elias, should he need help climbing the stairs. Decipherer: Elias half-staggers up the stairs and only barely avoids losing his balance. He faces Richard with a smirk, nudging him with his elbow. "See? I t-- I told you!" Tairais: Richard snorted, then placed a hand over his mouth to muffle the snickering laughter that followed. "T-that y-you did, Elias, that you did." He tilted his head towards the door invitingly. "I was going t-to m-make tea, if y-you are inclined to j-join me. If n-not..." He shrugged through his half-lie. "F-forgive me f-for being overbearing, I have h-had t-to help J-Jack escape the l-law while intoxicated one t-too many t-times to be anything b-but.. I believe a t-term is 'mother h-hen.' He chuckled sheepishly and shuffled on his feet Decipherer: Elias opens his mouth to reply but shuts it rather adamantly, his voice quieting slightly as a thought occurs to him. "Sure, uh... What time is it?" Tairais: Richard frowned slightly, tilting his chin up to look at the sky. "Y-you know.. I am n-not entirely c-certain." Glancing back at Elias, his eyes twinkled mischievously. "I h-had to d-dismantle my pocket-watch t-to d-do some m-maintenance on m-my hand s-some time back, and I n-never got around to replacing it." He glanced once more at the sky before shrugging. "I b-believe it is t-the early hours of the m-morning, but beyond that, I cannot say." Decipherer: He mumbles something about Artemis still being asleep as he follows Richard's gaze, his head tipping back to look towards the sky. He gives a small sigh, adding somewhat slowly, "Eh, alright." Tairais: Richard nodded, then stepped inside, making his way towards the kitchen. He hummed a soft, lilting tune as he walked, a tease of a singing voice not heard by anything but the wind for several years at least. He felt.. surprisingly at peace with himself, though that was more likely due to the autumn weather approaching than any of his halfhearted attempts at soul-searching. There had been quite a few of those attempts as he reattached his still slightly faulty arms and improved the sole on his foot. The latter is what lent him the full extent of the cat-like tread he now employed, slipping back into old habits like the first breath of winter air. The energy bubbling under his skin perplexed him, and though his curiosity insisted he find the source of it, the rest of him simply willed for the good fortune to last. Crossing the threshold of the kitchen, he began to dance through his usual tea-making ritual, his quiet song buzzing down to a more focused hum. He nearly forgot Elias was nearby. Only nearly though. It was hard for him to forget Elias, and oh, wasn't that a peculiar thought? Decipherer: Elias watched Richard's graceful movement with a grin, his arms crossing on his chest. He leans against a counter, and after a moment, he laughs. "I like your humming." He giggles as his voice drifts into more quieted, unclear words. Tairais: Richard's hands tensed slightly before he covered it with a warm chuckle. "I s-shall endeavour to h-hum more often, t-then." That strange, semi-familiar feeling of warmth unfurled in his chest at the compliment, and he felt equal parts unsettled and uplifted. He turned his attention to the collection of teas he had hidden away in the cupboards. "D-do you have a particular b-brew you would prefer c-currently?" Decipherer: He glances somewhat absently to the cupboards, his thoughts clouded. He flashes a smile and shrugs, "Surprise me!" Tairais: Richard chuckled again before selecting an eastern-style brew, full of spices like cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, and nutmeg. He left the brew to steep as he searched for the little jar of honey an associate traded in exchange for one of the very few daggers he'd made. "This b-brew, while not identical, is s-similar to a favorite of my father's. He w-would often bring entire b-boxes of it home when business s-sent him eastward." Finding the missing bottle of honey, he set it on the counter before turning to pour two still-steaming cups and added "He w-was fond of asting a l-little honey to offset h-how strong the s-spices a-are. P-personally, I prefer drinking it straight from the k-kettle." He picked up his cup and savored the warmth of it for a few moments, his quiet humming resumed to drive away the silence that clung to his mind like heavy seaweed. Decipherer: Elias picks up his own cup and smiles slightly, taking a small sip of it as he rests an arm against the counter. He grins up from his glass, "Sounds l- like a smart idea." Tairais: "W-which part? The b-bringing home boxes of y-your favorite tea, or drinking tea s-straight from the k-kettle?" Richard smirked, eyes glinting with a teasing light as he unwrapped his scarf to sip slowly at his own tea. A delighted grunt managed to escape him as the tea warmed his stomach, and it was all he could do not to cough in embarrassment at his lack of manners. He leaned back against the counters and glanced at Elias with a warm but analytical glint in his eyes. The pale ghosts of first impressions and memories played out before him, however they were far away enough not to bother. He felt safe in Elias' company, if still a little nervous given recent events and the feeling that there was still more to be said about them. It was all very odd, but given the fact the people he felt safe around were few and far between, he was reluctant to question fate. Reluctant, not willing to ignore, however. Decipherer: He takes another drink from the glass and drums his fingers against it to the rhythm of an unknown song. Now relaxed somewhat, his words are far less stumbled, but they retain that strange slur, amplified by his accent. " 'm sure both's a good answer to that." Tairais: Richard's lips twitched as he huffed out a small breath, quietly amused. "T-true enough." There were a thousand little details in the room to get lost in, and so he did. A quiet, thoughtful curiosity, which had served him well through his schooling, replaced his colder look from before. Elias' fingers sounded like the gentlest April rain against stained glass, the fading warmth of his teacup almost seemed like some fragile bird roosting in his hands, and so on. A thousand little details he would have never taken the time to notice in his life Before, and he was all the more in awe of the world for it. The space between words was comfortable and warm, and he paused to marvel over the very novel experience. Decipherer: He looks towards Richard and his strange silence with a smirk, one that wouldn't be out of place on him any other time. "Got something on your mind? Is it me? Am I on your mind?" Tairais: Richard smiled one of his more genuine smiles, one corner of his lips twitching up, his eyes carrying the brunt of his expression. "A-always, Elias. I f-find it hard to w-want you to leave it." The words were out of his mouth before he could stop himself, (truth be told, he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to) and he hid his blush behind a well-timed sip of tea. If it was a slightly longer gulp of tea than usual, well... he'd blame his own foolishness on empathizing with Elias' inebriated state. Decipherer: Elias blinks, sputtering on his sip of tea for a moment with wide eyes. His cheeks grow heated as he clears his throat behind a laugh, and he relaxes, his shoulders losing their tension. He smirks into his glass as he takes another gulp and mutters, "There's yet another thing in common, then." Tairais: Now there was absolutely no hiding his blush, for it tinged his whole face and his ears a rather vibrant pink. He felt himself relax and mirror Elias' posture, heart beating ever so slightly faster as his stomach fluttered, and that was very strange... With a realization not unlike a shattering teacup hitting marble tile, he realized just what precisely his feelings of near-overwhelming fondness meant. It took every ounce of his wrestled self control not to start spluttering; He instead chuckled out a (still somewhat breathy) "I-Indeed? W-w-wonderful." Decipherer: Elias, fortunately (... or unfortunately), doesn't notice Richard's blush at first, being unusually interested in his cup. Though his subconscious was well aware of his own feelings, and they were begging to be heard, it felt too far away to understand what they had meant. Not that he'd have accepted them anyways. Eventually, though, as he lifts his gaze from the glass, he sees Richard's reddening face. He giggles at the sight and gently sets the cup down, observing with a smile. Tairais: Richard resisted the urge to set his cup down, though his hands twitched with the effort to remain still and appear nonchalant. He was now fairly certain he couldn't move if he wanted to as his mind darted between images of Jack, lying on the ground in a pool of his own blood, and the feeling of desperate hope unfurling in his chest. At Elias' giggles, he forced himself to roll his eyes good-naturedly, only halfway grumbling. "W-well, I am t-thoroughly g-glad my uncertainty is a-amusing." He couldn't wipe the wry smile off his face, though, and settled for relaxing his clenched toes and calves. He didn't entirely remember the urge to run until it had fled for the most part, and he added''that'' to his 'List of Things to Analyze Later.' Decipherer: Elias picked up his glass again, and his eyes remained fixed on Richard as he took a sip. Though his sober self would never say such things, and would deeply regret them, he figured that there was no harm that could be done here. Or he didn't think it through. Both were logical thoughts for the time being. He smirks, his voice again dropping to a mutter, "Uncertainty? You hurt me so." Tairais: Richard kept his eyes locked with Elias' for longer than he would have deemed possible given his general avoidance for such a thing. He somehow managed to blush even more fiercely, and though he grumbled, he was nearly grinning, a canine poking out near the upturned corner of his lips. "O-only uncertain of y-your later actions, never y-you." He shifted on his feet, the familiar bubbling sensation of too much energy tingling under his skin as he desperately tried to figure out how this exchange would play out, and how to adjust accordingly. Decipherer: He pouts playfully, shifting and crossing his arms. Though his face was previously reddened by alcohol, his cheeks somehow light up even more. His attitude betrays this, though, as his voice remains playful and cool, even despite it's still-evident inebriation. "My later actions? What could I, your dear friend --" He paused with a grin, placing a hand to his chest, "- ever enact or say to make you uncertain of what I might do?" Tairais: Having drained his cup of tea, Richard could no longer find excuses to hid his flaming face, though he grinned at Elias' continued shenanigans. He crossed his arms and leaned forward slightly, tilting his head as his heart lurched and scrabbled against his rib cage like a newly blinded bird in a cluttered basement. "N-nothing and everything at all, s-since you are, in fact, as d-dear as you say. I w-would quite h-hate t-to lose you f-for one reason or another, mi amico." His accent roamed the streets of northern Italy as he infused an air of mirth completely at odds with the true terror of being known. He felt vaguely dizzy, and hid it as he leaned back with a smirk. Decipherer: Elias finishes off his tea with a grin, and he continues to joke, "Amico, huh?" He chuckles, mindlessly wiping his mouth on a sleeve, his manners forgotten. "Y'don' have a reason to worry about losing me." Tairais: Richard chuckled softly, speaking past the feeling of standing on the edge of a cliff into the feeling of falling. "W-would you rather I call you mio amato o mio caro? Either c-could be a-arranged." He paused, a somber light entering his eyes though his smile stayed in place. "At any rate, I find I h-have many a r-reason to d-do so." He dispelled the mood with a soft smirk. "I-indulge me in my w-worries: y-you are s-stuck with them regardless!" Decipherer: Elias tips his head off to the side with a laugh, shrugging as his arms move to support himself against the counter. "I'm gonna hope all that Italian means what I think it means." He pauses, his smile softening into a smirk. "I have no problem with that, 's long as I can help you out." Tairais: Richard huffed a series of aborted breaths that could ''be considered a chuckle, but were almost decidedly too nervous to be. "I-it means w-whatever you want it to m-mean, and you h-have 'helped m-me out' q-quite a great deal as it is." He shrugged, spreading his hands out to make some unseen point before crossing them again. He felt too exposed to just let them fall. '''Decipherer:' Elias is silent, gears in his still-slowed-by-alcohol brain using excessive labor to try and figure out what exactly he wanted it to mean in the first place. When he settled on an answer for himself, he turns onto Richard, asking quietly, "What do you want it to mean?" Tairais: Richard took a very sudden interest in the floor as his mind raced and his breathing sped up slightly trying to contain the frantic, impressionistic nature of his thoughts long enough to channel them into a coherent statement. He frowned slightly before sighing. Though he did his best not to, he stumbled over his words. "A.. f-friend of m-mine once.. s-said that to... l-love s-someone, er, or t-to let t-them k-know y-you w-wholly a-and c-completely, is t-to give t-them the power t-to kill y-you." His eyes darted to Elias for a few moments before he glanced anywhere but. "Y-you d-do not q-quite h-have the p-power t-to.. kill m-me, per say, b-but t-the metaphorical k-knife is.. w-within reach. At t-the very l-least, y-you h-have the.. admittedly t-t-terrifying p-potential t-to do m-me great h-harm. H-hence the.. un...c-certainty I.. m-mentioned earlier." He forced his jaw to cut off that train of rambling, chuckled nervously, then shook his head. "W-which is t-to s-say, t-the words m-mean their l-literal.. t-translations, I believe." If his heart was a panicking raven before, it was now beating in time with every drop of a summer tempest, booming like thunder in his ears as he resisted the urge to bolt from the kitchen immediately. The nervous energy bubbling under his skin returned in tenfold, and he was astonished it wasn't arcing along his hands. That being said, his vision was graying around the edges in a not-very-comforting familiar way, and he had to close his eyes for a few moments to get his breathing to level out. He was in free-fall, the anticipation of scattering into a million pieces on the ground almost too much to bear. So much for feeling dizzy, there were black spots in his vision still and his hands were digging into his arms. Decipherer: Elias knits his eyebrows together as he processes the words. Excitement, only faint nervousness, and concern created butterflies in his stomach, weighted by alcohol. His cheeks burned as he spoke, but another small smile, a reassuring little thing, appears. His voice carries a nervous energy, "Richard, y- y'know, I'd be devastated if I hurt you." He clears his throat with a pause, before slowly continuing, "and I'm glad -- really glad, we're on the same page." Tairais: Perhaps he had scattered into a million pieces on the ground, because after Elias spoke and his emotions frantically tried to backpedal into something resembling relief, he felt as if he were missing some integral part of him where his anxiously lurching heart settled down slightly. He smiled, a tentatively bright and hopeful gesture. "L-likewise, I am s-still devastated for h-hurting y-you, and.. m-more than glad t-that we even r-read t-the same b-book... Though p-perhaps t-t-terrified c-comes c-close to what t-the rest of m-me f-feels." He felt as if his face had been blushing for several days, as it had never really stopped once it started. His panic was a mostly distant thing, though it was certain to swarm him in waves once he was alone. Drunken confessions had, in his past, never gone well, and as a result there was no small amount of trepidation aimed to the future. Decipherer: Elias gently takes Richard's hands in his own, his grin softening. Worry over the events that would transpire when he was sober was farther off in his head. "I wish I could help to ease your mind." Tairais: Richard somehow managed to keep his breath from hitching when Elias took a hold of his hands, though he couldn't keep his heartbeat from speeding up in a sickening mixture of anticipation and some small amount of fear. Regardless, he offered up a small, almost shy smile. "T-there is.. not m-much you can d-do, I am a-afraid. It is in m-my nature t-to worry." He chuckled as a though occurred to him. "On t-the plus side, i-it is t-this worry t-that leaves m-me alive and able t-to s-speak to you, s-so that is s-something to appreciate." Decipherer: Elias gives a small laugh. "I suppose I have to appreciate it, then." He seems to stare past Richard for a moment, paused while considering what came next. A decision was made in his mind, and carefully, he leans up and kisses his cheek, pulling back with a wide grin and a giggle. Tairais: Richard's eyes widened almost comically as a new wave of heat rose to his cheeks. The grin he sported as he gently touched his cheek was one of awe, disbelief, and overwhelming fondness. He was at a loss for words, but given that he felt like the human equivalent of an erratic exclamation point, perhaps that was for the best. Decipherer: He laughs at the sight, his head tilting to the side. "You okay there?" Tairais: Richard nodded, coughing sheepishly as he did so. "M-my apologies. I... w-was not expecting that." His smile stayed on, and his eyes twinkled like stars being born inside emerald. Decipherer: Elias raises an eyebrow, the whole of his face a reddish color despite his grin. "I hope that's a good thing." Tairais: Richard chuckled. "M-most certainly... mio caro." Though his voice took on a teasing quality, there was very little he could do to hide the way his heart sang with the realization that it had been love ''underneath the plethora of other emotions Elias invoked. '''Decipherer:' Elias is actually caught off guard by this, and he bursts into giggles. "Very nice, agápi mou." Tairais: Richard bursts into his peculiar laughter after the briefest of pauses, the weight of the past few days slowly falling off as it continued. "Y-you.. y-you are ridiculous. W-we are ridiculous." He covered his mouth in an attempt to stifle further giggles, but the effort failed miserably. Still chuckling, he added, "I a-am n-not certain h-how to proceed w-with.. this, t-truth be t-told." Decipherer: Elias rubs his neck with a small laugh, shrugging despite his concerns. "Nor me, but... I -- I do believe that's something we can figure out together, yes?" Tairais: Richard nodded, shifting his weight back and forth on his feet as he pondered a decision that had been at the forefront of his mind for quite some time. His heart began it's frantic gallop once more, and he tensed and relaxed his shaking hands in turns for what seemed like eons, but was really a minute or two at most. It would be better to play this safe, given all that had happened recently. In a voice that a owl, in all its auditory prowess, would have trouble hearing, Richard asked, "W-w-would you...a-allow m-me.. t-t... t-to k-k-kiss y-you?" Decipherer: Elias' face lights up and chuckles softly, wrapping his arms around Richard. "Definitely." Tairais: Richard grinned and leaned forward ever so slightly to hover (almost teasingly, despite the fact he had no idea how to be teasing) inches from Elias' lips. Huffing out a small breath to steel his nerves, he closed the distance by tilting up Elias' chin with gently trembling hands. He knew his lips were rough, scarred beyond any hope of being smooth again, but he couldn't really find it in himself to care when Elias' were so warm, even if they did taste strongly of alcohol. His heart was humming in his chest, and he was smiling through the kiss. It was, by no means, perfect, given that it was the first kiss he had ever initiated (receiving was another story, and not one he enjoyed telling), but the memory of the moment would stay in his mind's vaults, forever remembered. Decipherer: Elias smirks into the kiss and lightly places a hand on Richard's cheek. Something about this, despite all of its quirks, was oddly pure. It was strange. It was nice. After a moment, he very hesitantly pulls away, but his bright smile remains. He brushes his thumb along the hollows of Richard's cheek, his voice dropping to a small mutter, "S'agapó, Richard." Tairais: Richard's eyes (or rather, the one that still could) fluttered closed as he leaned into Elias' touch. He breath hitched slightly as Elias spoke: Though he didn't understand the language, he understood the emotion behind it. Opening his eyes, he let the full, terrifying depth of his feelings show in the recesses of his eyes for but a few moments before they smoothed over like ripples in a pond, settling into pools of glimmering joy and soft fondness. "Aš irgi tave myliu, Elias. Dėl tiek, kiek ji mane baugina, aš irgi tave myliu." His voice was low and rough, and he cleared his throat when he was done talking, content to stay where he was. All thoughts of the future and past left his mind, and though he could see a flicker of the stag that haunted him over Elias' shoulder, so too did the beast seem content. Decipherer: Elias gives a small gasp and smiles, staring up at Richard with a gaze full of happiness, excitement, and warmth. A minute or so would pass until he speaks, and when he does, it's in a small chuckle. "Artemis is probably wondering where I am." Tairais: Richard quickly smothered the flare of disappointment that followed in the wake of Elias' words (which was yet another thing to go over), chuckling in agreement. "M-most l-likely." He stepped away from Elias, and tilted his head thoughtfully. "D-do you need h-help back t-to you room?" In the wake of it all, there was a decided feeling of lightness in his limbs. The relentlessly murmuring energy within him had quieted slightly, but was now creeping its way back. That was fine, he couldn't even be bothered to think about it at the moment. He deliberately kept his focus only on the present: neither the past's ghosts nor dreams of the future had any power over him at the moment. Decipherer: Elias nods somewhat eagerly, looking towards the doorway and then back towards Richard. Truth be told, he didn't really need the assistance - he just enjoyed the company. "That'd be nice." Tairais: Richard smiled softly and took a moment to fix the path to Elias' room in his mind. When it showed no signs of slipping away, his smile brightened and he looped his arm around Elias', like one might escort a partner to a gala. Though, he supposed they could technically be considered partners in a dance only visible to the two of them. Technically. It was a charming thought nonetheless. He chuckled and leaned into Elias slightly, basking in the warmth. "S-shall we?" Decipherer: Elias looks up at him and smirks, tilting his head to rest on Richard's arms. "We shall." Tairais: Richard chuckled, giving Elias a small smile. He took a moment to admire the surge of happiness that followed Elias leaning on him before he led them down the halls. He only took one wrong turn this time around, and that may or may not have had to do with the fact he wanted to enjoy that moment for as long as possible. The future was uncertain, the past was (for the most part) sacred and unchanging, but the present would stay as it was. He did get them to the door eventually, unhooking his arm from Elias' as he stopped. He turned to look at Elias but paused, unsure of his to process his mess of emotions into mere words. A puzzled frown flashed on his face for half a second before he smiled at Elias. "W-well, h-here you are." Decipherer: With a bleak laugh, Elias repeats with a "Here I am." He glances towards the door like it had shot his puppy, but when he turns to face Richard once more, his smile returns just as fast. After a short kiss on Richard's cheek, he bangs his fist against the door heavily. Not a single beat passes before it swings inward, revealing a very tired Artemis, his hair down, frizzy and almost completely obscuring his face. When he sees the two together, his face quickly shifts into confusion, but Elias simply staggers past him, patting his hand hard against Artemis' shoulder. Artemis raises an eyebrow at this, looking to Richard questioningly. Tairais: No longer alone with Elias, Richard felt his grasp on control reassert itself almost violently. He sculpted his features into his classic, wry smile, eyes twinkling with soft amusement. "H-he's d-drunk. I f-found him w-wandering Bethnal G-Green a-and brought h-him home. I m-made him drink some tea that s-should alleviate t-the.. h-horrid hangover he m-may or may n-not have in the morning, but it m-most likely w-will not have a terribly profound effect." He said, sotto voce''.'' Once he had spoken, he wrapped his scarf around his mouth, intending to go back onto the streets when Artemis dismissed him. Decipherer: Artemis looked back towards Elias, who was sitting upright on his bed with an eager grin. At least here was someone who was certainly ready to fill in the blanks, Artemis thought. He smiles at Richard, his face reddening with a tinge of embarrassment, but he laughs and plays it off. "He didn't do anything wrong, did he?" He pauses, and snickers. "I don't have to pay for any damages?" Tairais: Richard chuckled and shook his head. "T-to my knowledge, n-no, though I only g-guided him home." He tilted his head thoughtfully. "If t-there is n-nothing else...?" There was a faint buzzing in the back of his skull: A memory begged to be known and clashed with his inner restlessness in a way that left him itching to run and know nothing but the wind and the ground in turns. Decipherer: Artemis snorts and pushes his shoulder playfully. "You're free to go." From behind the door, however, Elias waves and makes a kissy face right before it closes. Tairais: Richard flashed a smile that was more felt than seen to Artemis and a snort and a halfhearted salute to Elias. Turning on his heel, coat billowing around him, he stalked off like a dancer. Within a few minutes he found himself crossing the Society's threshold once again as dawn's great radiance burst over the rooftops, the sky still dark. Golds, oranges, purples, and reds painted the sky like so many shards of polished sea glass tumbling in a kaleidoscope, causing him to pause and admire with a heart full to the brim with admiration and wonder. He smiled as he disappeared down the still-quiet streets of London. His music and the heart behind it may have belonged to the night but... But his was the spirit of London at twilight, caught in the world of change between dreaming and sleeping. Obtained From Drinking Buddies Category:Main Plot Category:Tales from the ER